6 New Messages
Digest #4717
Messages
Tue Jun 4, 2013 8:41 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.stripes.com/news/af
Stars and Stripes
June 4, 2013
NATO considers training Libya security forces
By Steven Beardsley
NATO is dispatching a fact-finding team to Libya as it considers training security forces in the North African country, where the government has struggled to rein in well-armed militias after the alliance-backed ouster of...Moammar Gadhafi.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters on Tuesday that the team will look at areas of potential training and security sector reform and report back by the end of June...
Military power in Libya currently resides in its well-armed militias, which equipped themselves in the aftermath of Gadhafi’s 2011 removal, when the country was awash in weapons. While some militias have cooperated with the transitional government, others continue to challenge its authority.
One of those groups, the Islamist militia Ansar Al-Sharia, is believed to be responsible for the September 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that killed four employees, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
The Libyan national army is widely viewed as too weak to challenge al-Sharia or other militias.
The flow of Libyan weapons to militias outside of Libya also has heightened threats beyond the country.
...Libyan weapons have also turned up among extremist groups elsewhere in North Africa, as well as in Syria.
Assistance to Libya was one of several topics to be discussed by NATO defense ministers, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, during a two-day meeting that began Tuesday in Brussels. Other topics include NATO’s plans for Afghanistan after 2014 and alliance military capabilities.
The NATO bombing campaign in 2011 was critical to Gadhafi’s overthrow by destroying military air defenses and ground targets.
NATO was criticized at the time by Russia and some African countries for allegedly overstepping the U.N. mandate to protect civilians in the civil war in Libya and turning the bombing campaign into a regime change operation. Some neighboring nations also warned that extremists — whom Gadhafi’s regime had persecuted — were arming themselves with weapons looted from government armories after NATO had bombed them.
“I believe that this would be a fitting way to continue our cooperation with Libya after we successfully took action to protect the Libyan people two years ago,” Rasmussen said Tuesday.
==============================
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==============================
Stars and Stripes
June 4, 2013
NATO considers training Libya security forces
By Steven Beardsley
NATO is dispatching a fact-finding team to Libya as it considers training security forces in the North African country, where the government has struggled to rein in well-armed militias after the alliance-backed ouster of...Moammar Gadhafi.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters on Tuesday that the team will look at areas of potential training and security sector reform and report back by the end of June...
Military power in Libya currently resides in its well-armed militias, which equipped themselves in the aftermath of Gadhafi’s 2011 removal, when the country was awash in weapons. While some militias have cooperated with the transitional government, others continue to challenge its authority.
One of those groups, the Islamist militia Ansar Al-Sharia, is believed to be responsible for the September 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that killed four employees, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
The Libyan national army is widely viewed as too weak to challenge al-Sharia or other militias.
The flow of Libyan weapons to militias outside of Libya also has heightened threats beyond the country.
...Libyan weapons have also turned up among extremist groups elsewhere in North Africa, as well as in Syria.
Assistance to Libya was one of several topics to be discussed by NATO defense ministers, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, during a two-day meeting that began Tuesday in Brussels. Other topics include NATO’s plans for Afghanistan after 2014 and alliance military capabilities.
The NATO bombing campaign in 2011 was critical to Gadhafi’s overthrow by destroying military air defenses and ground targets.
NATO was criticized at the time by Russia and some African countries for allegedly overstepping the U.N. mandate to protect civilians in the civil war in Libya and turning the bombing campaign into a regime change operation. Some neighboring nations also warned that extremists — whom Gadhafi’s regime had persecuted — were arming themselves with weapons looted from government armories after NATO had bombed them.
“I believe that this would be a fitting way to continue our cooperation with Libya after we successfully took action to protect the Libyan people two years ago,” Rasmussen said Tuesday.
==============================
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==============================
Tue Jun 4, 2013 12:21 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://en.ria.ru/russia/201306
Russian Information Agency Novosti
June 4, 2013
Russia Slams US Patriot Plans for Jordan
MOSCOW: Moscow considers the US move to send Patriot missiles and fighter jets to Jordan as an attempt to pump foreign weaponry into a highly volatile region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
“We have repeatedly voiced our position on this issue – foreign weapons are being pumped into a highly volatile region," ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
“It should be noted that these weapons are being deployed in the immediate vicinity of Syria where the fire of a destructive conflict has been burning for more than two years, a conflict that Russia together with our US partners is trying to stop by proposing to hold an international peace conference as quickly as possible,” the Russian diplomat said.
The US administration has approved the deployment of a Patriot missile battery and F-16 fighters to Jordan as part of the upcoming Exercise Eager Lion, which will involve over 15,000 troops representing 18 countries.
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that some of these weapons may remain beyond the exercise at the request of the government of Jordan “in light of circumstances in the region and escalating violence along Jordan's borders.”
The Pentagon has already deployed about 200 servicemen to Jordan to help Syria’s neighbor prepare for a possible escalation of the Syrian conflict.
NATO earlier deployed six Patriot batteries in Turkey to shore up security on its 900-kilometer (560 mile) border with Syria.
Patriot is an air-defense missile system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles as well as cruise missiles and aircraft. It was first used operationally in the first Gulf War in 1991.
...
==============================
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==============================
Russian Information Agency Novosti
June 4, 2013
Russia Slams US Patriot Plans for Jordan
MOSCOW: Moscow considers the US move to send Patriot missiles and fighter jets to Jordan as an attempt to pump foreign weaponry into a highly volatile region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
“We have repeatedly voiced our position on this issue – foreign weapons are being pumped into a highly volatile region," ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
“It should be noted that these weapons are being deployed in the immediate vicinity of Syria where the fire of a destructive conflict has been burning for more than two years, a conflict that Russia together with our US partners is trying to stop by proposing to hold an international peace conference as quickly as possible,” the Russian diplomat said.
The US administration has approved the deployment of a Patriot missile battery and F-16 fighters to Jordan as part of the upcoming Exercise Eager Lion, which will involve over 15,000 troops representing 18 countries.
US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that some of these weapons may remain beyond the exercise at the request of the government of Jordan “in light of circumstances in the region and escalating violence along Jordan's borders.”
The Pentagon has already deployed about 200 servicemen to Jordan to help Syria’s neighbor prepare for a possible escalation of the Syrian conflict.
NATO earlier deployed six Patriot batteries in Turkey to shore up security on its 900-kilometer (560 mile) border with Syria.
Patriot is an air-defense missile system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles as well as cruise missiles and aircraft. It was first used operationally in the first Gulf War in 1991.
...
==============================
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==============================
Wed Jun 5, 2013 6:00 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://en.rian.ru/world/201306
Russian Information Agency Novosti
June 5, 2013
NATO Watching Georgia Border Situation 'With Interest’
BRUSSELS: NATO is closely watching events in Georgia, the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday, after Tbilisi accused Russia last week of setting up wire fences along the South Ossetia-Georgia border.
“We continue following with great interest the challenges and developments on Georgia’s borders,” Rasmussen said at a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission Defense Ministers’ session.
...
Rasmussen reiterated the alliance’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. He also pledged that Georgia will one day become a NATO member.
“A stable and democratic Georgia has its place in the Euro-Atlantic Community. I am happy about the future which will see Georgia part of the alliance,” Rasmussen said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said last week Russia’s border guards had installed barbed-wire fences along Georgia’s border with its disputed region of South Ossetia and had even pushed the border line inside Georgia.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned on Monday what is said were attempts “to stoke up the situation” on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia with an eye to the election campaign in Georgia, and “shifting the blame” to Russia.
Under an interstate agreement with Russia signed on April 30, 2009, South Ossetia delegated its state border protection functions to Russia until the republic establishes its own border guard service. South Ossetia’s border with Georgia is about 210 miles (350 km) long.
Georgia lost control over one-fifth of its territory after South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former republic within Georgia, broke away and were recognized by Moscow in the wake of a brief war with Russia in August 2008.
Georgia maintains its claim to sovereignty over both regions, which have only been recognized by a handful of other states besides Russia.
Both regions had enjoyed de facto independence since the early 1990s, following earlier separatist conflicts with Georgia. Georgia repeatedly accused Moscow of aiding separatist movements in Abkhazia and South Ossetia at that time, which Moscow denied.
==============================
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==============================
Russian Information Agency Novosti
June 5, 2013
NATO Watching Georgia Border Situation 'With Interest’
BRUSSELS: NATO is closely watching events in Georgia, the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday, after Tbilisi accused Russia last week of setting up wire fences along the South Ossetia-Georgia border.
“We continue following with great interest the challenges and developments on Georgia’s borders,” Rasmussen said at a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission Defense Ministers’ session.
...
Rasmussen reiterated the alliance’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. He also pledged that Georgia will one day become a NATO member.
“A stable and democratic Georgia has its place in the Euro-Atlantic Community. I am happy about the future which will see Georgia part of the alliance,” Rasmussen said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said last week Russia’s border guards had installed barbed-wire fences along Georgia’s border with its disputed region of South Ossetia and had even pushed the border line inside Georgia.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned on Monday what is said were attempts “to stoke up the situation” on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia with an eye to the election campaign in Georgia, and “shifting the blame” to Russia.
Under an interstate agreement with Russia signed on April 30, 2009, South Ossetia delegated its state border protection functions to Russia until the republic establishes its own border guard service. South Ossetia’s border with Georgia is about 210 miles (350 km) long.
Georgia lost control over one-fifth of its territory after South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former republic within Georgia, broke away and were recognized by Moscow in the wake of a brief war with Russia in August 2008.
Georgia maintains its claim to sovereignty over both regions, which have only been recognized by a handful of other states besides Russia.
Both regions had enjoyed de facto independence since the early 1990s, following earlier separatist conflicts with Georgia. Georgia repeatedly accused Moscow of aiding separatist movements in Abkhazia and South Ossetia at that time, which Moscow denied.
==============================
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==============================
Wed Jun 5, 2013 6:00 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.marforaf.marines.mi
Marine Corps Forces Africa
U.S. Africa Command
USAG Stuttgart, Germany SP-MAGTF Crisis Response Arrives in Spain
By Staff Sgt. Lukas Atwell
MORON DE LA FRONTERA, Spain: Approximately 500 Marines and sailors arrived aboard Moron Air Base, May 5- 13, to serve as Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response, a new expeditionary unit positioned forward to respond to limited crisis within the Mediterranean and African area-of-responsibility .
SP-MAGTF Crisis Response is a rotational force of Marines and sailors sourced from a variety of units from II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., temporarily positioned on Moron Air Base, Spain, capable of decisive action across a range of military operations.
“The reason we are here is to provide a scalable force to respond to unexpected crisis,” said Major Zane Crawford, the SP-MAGTF Crisis Response operations officer. “We can rapidly deploy to support missions, such as embassy reinforcement, tactical recovery of aircraft, and personnel and non-combatant evacuation operations.”
A Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a balanced, expeditionary force with built-in command, ground, aviation and logistics elements and, while this is nothing new for the Marine Corps, a SP-MAGTF is organized, trained and equipped to accomplish a specific mission, according to Crawford.
The SP-MAGTF CR gives U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa a broad range of military capabilities to respond to crises in its area-of-responsibility...
==============================
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==============================
Marine Corps Forces Africa
U.S. Africa Command
USAG Stuttgart, Germany SP-MAGTF Crisis Response Arrives in Spain
By Staff Sgt. Lukas Atwell
MORON DE LA FRONTERA, Spain: Approximately 500 Marines and sailors arrived aboard Moron Air Base, May 5- 13, to serve as Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response, a new expeditionary unit positioned forward to respond to limited crisis within the Mediterranean and African area-of-responsibility .
SP-MAGTF Crisis Response is a rotational force of Marines and sailors sourced from a variety of units from II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., temporarily positioned on Moron Air Base, Spain, capable of decisive action across a range of military operations.
“The reason we are here is to provide a scalable force to respond to unexpected crisis,” said Major Zane Crawford, the SP-MAGTF Crisis Response operations officer. “We can rapidly deploy to support missions, such as embassy reinforcement, tactical recovery of aircraft, and personnel and non-combatant evacuation operations.”
A Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a balanced, expeditionary force with built-in command, ground, aviation and logistics elements and, while this is nothing new for the Marine Corps, a SP-MAGTF is organized, trained and equipped to accomplish a specific mission, according to Crawford.
The SP-MAGTF CR gives U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa a broad range of military capabilities to respond to crises in its area-of-responsibility...
==============================
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==============================
Wed Jun 5, 2013 6:23 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_06
Voice of Russia
June 5, 2013
Syria has the right to peace and to self-defense, despite western claims
John Robles
There can be little doubt that the lifting of the arms embargo to the armed insurgents and terrorist groups operating in Syria is one of the most egregiously callous, self-serving, reckless and irresponsible moves made by the international community since the beginning of the internal conflict in the country.
The West’s complete and total lack of regard for the precious lives of innocent Syrian civilians, including all non-Muslims, non-Sunnis, Jews, Christians and ethnic minority groups is mind-boggling in its persistency, premeditation and complete and total lack of anything resembling humanity.
The West has once again truly shown the entire planet, that is anyone with their eyes half open, its monstrous and evil face when it comes to Syria. It is evident in everything the West has done in Syria. From the day the Western “masters” decided that elected President Bashar al-Assad had to go because he was not a Western puppet, to the instigating and fueling of the internal conflict, to the bellicose rhetoric and endless sanctions, to the actual real and documented funding, arming and importing of every kind of terrorist, mercenary and killer under the sun, the West has shown time and time again that they will do absolutely anything to bring about their ends, while packaging it in marketable terms evoking righteousness and pride by calling it “iron resolve”, “taking the lead” and “ridding the world of evil”.
Even the world’s “poster boy of persecution” Israel, which has been allowed to do what it pleases, act with impunity in violating international laws and norms and has remained untouchable since the Holocaust, has shown that they too have forfeited their humanity for mere geo-political goals, by bombing Syria with reckless disregard and using the Nazi pretext of preventive attacks, disgracefully showing ignorance to the lesson that should have been learned from the Great Patriotic War, that all life is precious and no group has the right to eradicate another.
There is nothing noble in what the West is doing in Syria. There is nothing noble in war and death and destruction and those who promote it and use it and spread it have forfeited their right to be members of humanity.
Recently the new U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that it was too late for the U.S. to take an active role in seeking a peaceful settlement in Syria; he may be right after the years of rhetoric and the importing and funding of terrorists into the conflict, but I beg to differ, it is never too late to do the right thing, and the right thing here would be to completely ban all weapons deliveries to Syria, to sanction those who would use them, to force the warring factions to the negotiating table, sanctioning those who refuse and to bring about an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
That would be the noble and humane thing to do but will the West do that? Perhaps Kerry would, but then again he is not the “decider” and the those who make the decisions in the West want war and are obtuse and ignorantly stubborn in their foolish and unyielding “resolve” to forcefully remove a leader who has stated time and time again that he will leave if he is voted out of office.
Who is suffering in the Western power play in Syria? The Syrian people, the civilians, the women and children. And anyone who keeps the vicious cycle going must be restrained and removed from the conflict, even if that is the mighty dictator of the world, the United States of America, and all of its surrogates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated regarding the lifting of the arms embargo to the terrorist groups: "We have, of course, given our assessment to the decision adopted by the Foreign Ministers of the EU last week on the lifting of the embargo on arms supplies to the Syrian opposition. I will not hide the fact that it has disappointed us."
The president very wisely noted: "Any attempt to influence the situation by force or direct military intervention is doomed to failure and will inevitably lead to grave humanitarian consequences."
The main proponents of lifting the arms embargo within the EU were the UK and France, classically U.S. surrogates, while a number of other states rightly opposed it, knowing it would only aggravate the already difficult and violent situation in Syria.
President Putin also recently spoke about the supply of S-300 air defense systems to Syria; "The S-300, is really one of the best air defense systems in the world, if not the best. The best, I think. This, of course, a serious weapon. However we do not want to disturb the balance in the region. Russian arms supplies to Syria are solely and entirely within the framework of international law and transparent, internationally recognized contracts that do not violate any international regulations."
The supply of S-300s to Syria has of course been met with bellicose and indignant rhetoric from the West and in particular from Israel, with comments such as “this will upset the strategic balance between Israel and Syria” taking the forefront. This is of course true: Israel reserves to itself the right to bomb Syria with impunity whenever it so chooses, and the West of course does not want anything to interfere should it bring about the conditions for a military intervention. It is of course more convenient for the West when they can bomb and destroy a country and do so with no threat to themselves, as they did in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.
The U.N., perhaps the last voice of reason in the world and the last hope for peace, recently released a report on the matter asking the nations of the world to “counter the escalation of the conflict” by not delivering weapons “given the clear risk that the arms will be used to commit serious violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.”
The report says right at the beginning: “Anti-government armed groups have also besieged towns, especially in the Aleppo governorate. They are committing war crimes on an increasing scale, including extra-judicial executions, torture, hostage-taking, and pillage. The violations and abuses committed by anti-Government armed groups did not reach the intensity and scale of those committed by Government forces and affiliated militias.”
The UN report also states: “The desperation of the parties to the conflict has resulted in new levels of cruelty and brutality, bolstered by an increase in the availability of weapons. Increased arm transfers hurt the prospect of a political settlement to the conflict, fuel the multiplication of armed actors at the national and regional levels and have devastating consequences for civilians."
Peace can never be attained with the barrel of a gun and anyone who would tell you so is either delusional or has their own agenda, and those would supply terrorists with arms and promote the killing of civilians have forfeited their place among civilized nations.
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
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==============================
Voice of Russia
June 5, 2013
Syria has the right to peace and to self-defense, despite western claims
John Robles
There can be little doubt that the lifting of the arms embargo to the armed insurgents and terrorist groups operating in Syria is one of the most egregiously callous, self-serving, reckless and irresponsible moves made by the international community since the beginning of the internal conflict in the country.
The West’s complete and total lack of regard for the precious lives of innocent Syrian civilians, including all non-Muslims, non-Sunnis, Jews, Christians and ethnic minority groups is mind-boggling in its persistency, premeditation and complete and total lack of anything resembling humanity.
The West has once again truly shown the entire planet, that is anyone with their eyes half open, its monstrous and evil face when it comes to Syria. It is evident in everything the West has done in Syria. From the day the Western “masters” decided that elected President Bashar al-Assad had to go because he was not a Western puppet, to the instigating and fueling of the internal conflict, to the bellicose rhetoric and endless sanctions, to the actual real and documented funding, arming and importing of every kind of terrorist, mercenary and killer under the sun, the West has shown time and time again that they will do absolutely anything to bring about their ends, while packaging it in marketable terms evoking righteousness and pride by calling it “iron resolve”, “taking the lead” and “ridding the world of evil”.
Even the world’s “poster boy of persecution” Israel, which has been allowed to do what it pleases, act with impunity in violating international laws and norms and has remained untouchable since the Holocaust, has shown that they too have forfeited their humanity for mere geo-political goals, by bombing Syria with reckless disregard and using the Nazi pretext of preventive attacks, disgracefully showing ignorance to the lesson that should have been learned from the Great Patriotic War, that all life is precious and no group has the right to eradicate another.
There is nothing noble in what the West is doing in Syria. There is nothing noble in war and death and destruction and those who promote it and use it and spread it have forfeited their right to be members of humanity.
Recently the new U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that it was too late for the U.S. to take an active role in seeking a peaceful settlement in Syria; he may be right after the years of rhetoric and the importing and funding of terrorists into the conflict, but I beg to differ, it is never too late to do the right thing, and the right thing here would be to completely ban all weapons deliveries to Syria, to sanction those who would use them, to force the warring factions to the negotiating table, sanctioning those who refuse and to bring about an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
That would be the noble and humane thing to do but will the West do that? Perhaps Kerry would, but then again he is not the “decider” and the those who make the decisions in the West want war and are obtuse and ignorantly stubborn in their foolish and unyielding “resolve” to forcefully remove a leader who has stated time and time again that he will leave if he is voted out of office.
Who is suffering in the Western power play in Syria? The Syrian people, the civilians, the women and children. And anyone who keeps the vicious cycle going must be restrained and removed from the conflict, even if that is the mighty dictator of the world, the United States of America, and all of its surrogates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated regarding the lifting of the arms embargo to the terrorist groups: "We have, of course, given our assessment to the decision adopted by the Foreign Ministers of the EU last week on the lifting of the embargo on arms supplies to the Syrian opposition. I will not hide the fact that it has disappointed us."
The president very wisely noted: "Any attempt to influence the situation by force or direct military intervention is doomed to failure and will inevitably lead to grave humanitarian consequences."
The main proponents of lifting the arms embargo within the EU were the UK and France, classically U.S. surrogates, while a number of other states rightly opposed it, knowing it would only aggravate the already difficult and violent situation in Syria.
President Putin also recently spoke about the supply of S-300 air defense systems to Syria; "The S-300, is really one of the best air defense systems in the world, if not the best. The best, I think. This, of course, a serious weapon. However we do not want to disturb the balance in the region. Russian arms supplies to Syria are solely and entirely within the framework of international law and transparent, internationally recognized contracts that do not violate any international regulations."
The supply of S-300s to Syria has of course been met with bellicose and indignant rhetoric from the West and in particular from Israel, with comments such as “this will upset the strategic balance between Israel and Syria” taking the forefront. This is of course true: Israel reserves to itself the right to bomb Syria with impunity whenever it so chooses, and the West of course does not want anything to interfere should it bring about the conditions for a military intervention. It is of course more convenient for the West when they can bomb and destroy a country and do so with no threat to themselves, as they did in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.
The U.N., perhaps the last voice of reason in the world and the last hope for peace, recently released a report on the matter asking the nations of the world to “counter the escalation of the conflict” by not delivering weapons “given the clear risk that the arms will be used to commit serious violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.”
The report says right at the beginning: “Anti-government armed groups have also besieged towns, especially in the Aleppo governorate. They are committing war crimes on an increasing scale, including extra-judicial executions, torture, hostage-taking, and pillage. The violations and abuses committed by anti-Government armed groups did not reach the intensity and scale of those committed by Government forces and affiliated militias.”
The UN report also states: “The desperation of the parties to the conflict has resulted in new levels of cruelty and brutality, bolstered by an increase in the availability of weapons. Increased arm transfers hurt the prospect of a political settlement to the conflict, fuel the multiplication of armed actors at the national and regional levels and have devastating consequences for civilians."
Peace can never be attained with the barrel of a gun and anyone who would tell you so is either delusional or has their own agenda, and those would supply terrorists with arms and promote the killing of civilians have forfeited their place among civilized nations.
==============================
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
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==============================
Wed Jun 5, 2013 6:23 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.dw.de/nato-members-
Deutsche Welle
June 5, 2013
NATO members agree on quick-response cyber attack teams
NATO members have agreed on the need for rapid-reaction teams to defend against cyber-attacks. Meanwhile, embattled German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere vowed to stick with an alliance plan to use more drones.
Defense ministers present for the talks in Brussels on Tuesday agreed that NATO should continue to seek coordinated plans to protect against cyber attack.
However, they failed to decide how to help individual member states whose computer systems come under attack.
The ministers agreed that NATO's full response capabilities to deal with cyber attacks on its own facilities should be in place by October.
"Today we have agreed how we can move forward in cyber defense as an alliance," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "We are all closely connected, so an attack on one ally - if not dealt with quickly and effectively - can affect us all."
"Cyber attacks do not stop at national borders. Our defenses should not either," Rasmussen said.
Differences of opinion
Rasmussen conceded that the 28-nation alliance was still debating how national infrastructures should be protected. Germany, for example, has said that these should be the responsibility of each individual member. However, others want NATO to play a more integral role.
Rasmussen said one solution could be "to deploy national cyber assets to help an ally." The matter was further deferred to the next alliance meeting in October.
Also on the agenda was a need for greater defense spending from European member nations, with the US complaining that its share of the military financial burden has been growing disproportionately.
"If we do not invest in the capacities we need, we could put our military potential and political credibility at risk," warned Rasmussen.
German drone assurance
Rasmussen welcomed Germany's renewed commitment to a NATO drone program that would see the alliance acquire five high-altitude unmanned Global Hawks as part of its Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS).
An assurance was given by German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere that Germany still backed the project, despite the cancellation of its own Euro Hawk drone program.
De Maiziere said that lessons would be learned from the project, which was abandoned because of the difficulty that the German air force would have in getting clearance from civil aviation authorities.
"We will now look at the consequences of the Euro Hawk decision on the AGS," de Maiziere said. The defense minister has come under pressure in light of the 660 million euros (860 million dollars) that were spent in vain on the Euro Hawk project.
rc/ccp (AP, dpa, Reuters)
Deutsche Welle
June 5, 2013
NATO members agree on quick-response cyber attack teams
NATO members have agreed on the need for rapid-reaction teams to defend against cyber-attacks. Meanwhile, embattled German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere vowed to stick with an alliance plan to use more drones.
Defense ministers present for the talks in Brussels on Tuesday agreed that NATO should continue to seek coordinated plans to protect against cyber attack.
However, they failed to decide how to help individual member states whose computer systems come under attack.
The ministers agreed that NATO's full response capabilities to deal with cyber attacks on its own facilities should be in place by October.
"Today we have agreed how we can move forward in cyber defense as an alliance," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "We are all closely connected, so an attack on one ally - if not dealt with quickly and effectively - can affect us all."
"Cyber attacks do not stop at national borders. Our defenses should not either," Rasmussen said.
Differences of opinion
Rasmussen conceded that the 28-nation alliance was still debating how national infrastructures should be protected. Germany, for example, has said that these should be the responsibility of each individual member. However, others want NATO to play a more integral role.
Rasmussen said one solution could be "to deploy national cyber assets to help an ally." The matter was further deferred to the next alliance meeting in October.
Also on the agenda was a need for greater defense spending from European member nations, with the US complaining that its share of the military financial burden has been growing disproportionately.
"If we do not invest in the capacities we need, we could put our military potential and political credibility at risk," warned Rasmussen.
German drone assurance
Rasmussen welcomed Germany's renewed commitment to a NATO drone program that would see the alliance acquire five high-altitude unmanned Global Hawks as part of its Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS).
An assurance was given by German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere that Germany still backed the project, despite the cancellation of its own Euro Hawk drone program.
De Maiziere said that lessons would be learned from the project, which was abandoned because of the difficulty that the German air force would have in getting clearance from civil aviation authorities.
"We will now look at the consequences of the Euro Hawk decision on the AGS," de Maiziere said. The defense minister has come under pressure in light of the 660 million euros (860 million dollars) that were spent in vain on the Euro Hawk project.
rc/ccp (AP, dpa, Reuters)
